Google opens Checkout for all websites

New gadget makes selling stuff online very easy

Google has added a new widget into its Labs library that makes opening up your very own online store incredibly easy.

Users simply have to sign up for Google Checkout merchant account, put the details of what they want to sell in a spreadsheet, and then choose from a range of widgets to embed in their site.

Google is offering tiny, small and large widgets to display your stuff, which essentially takes the hassle out of selling stuff online by letting you have your own little shop.

Size options

You can embed the gadget in a variety of ways, with it being easiest in Google branded sites (ie Blogger or iGoogle) but also any site built using HTML (which is fairly wide ranging...)

Google states that using this method means "a fast, secure checkout process [that] helps Google Checkout users convert 40% more than shoppers who have not used Checkout before."

It's subject to Google's transaction fees of course, which if you sell less than £1500-worth of stuff a month you'll incur 3.4 per cent of the fee plus 20p for each thing you sell (with the costs coming down the more stuff you shift).

If you're a wannabe entrepreneur, a web lover but too lazy to actually set up an online presence, then head on over to http://storegadget.googlelabs.com/ and get creating.